Fanfare Ciocărlia: brass music at the fastest possible speed
Fanfare Ciocărlia are coming to Pohoda to completely dismantle the idea that brass music belongs only at weddings and funerals. They are one of the most explosive live bands in the world – an orchestra capable of turning any concert into an unrestrained celebration of rhythm, movement and pure musical joy.
21. January 2026
Fanfare Ciocărlia come from the “hidden” Romany village of Zece Prăjini in north-eastern Romania. This isolated place, set in a misty valley with dirt roads shared by horse carts and flocks of geese, preserved a musical tradition that had almost disappeared elsewhere. Here, the ancient Ottoman custom of brass bands accompanying armies, weddings and funerals survived. The musicians learned their craft naturally, from their fathers and grandfathers, as part of everyday rural life.
When German music enthusiast Henry Ernst stumbled upon the village in 1996, he discovered a living tradition he believed the world was ready to embrace. Just a year later, Fanfare Ciocărlia set out to conquer Europe – and the impact was immediate. Their breakneck speed, astonishing technical precision, raw rhythms and sweet-and-sour horn sound created something entirely new. Audiences and critics agreed on one thing: no brass band had ever played this fast – and none had ever sounded like this before.
Their music quickly crossed scene boundaries. At Fanfare Ciocărlia concerts, punks stand next to metalheads, jazz fans dance alongside world music lovers, and anyone drawn to music that sounds utterly unique feels at home. Even the classical world embraced them, with performances in prestigious philharmonic halls, while clubs and festival stages around the globe have been turned upside down by their furious live energy. The Times described their sound as a “heavy, heavy monster sound”.
“The Romanian brass orchestra Fanfare Ciocărlia has existed for just as long as the Pohoda Festival itself, making them a perfect choice for an open-air birthday celebration. The repertoire of these world music classics includes not only Romani Balkan hits, but also original compositions, juicy reworkings of evergreen songs by other artists, as well as beloved film themes. Their massive sound has already shaken hundreds of stages around the world – so be careful that their tubas and trumpets don’t blow Borat’s fur hat right off your head!” says Vlado Potančok, aka Potkan_FM from Radio_FM.
Fanfare Ciocărlia have played more than 4,000 concerts worldwide and proudly describe themselves as “the hardest working band in the blow biz”. Their shows regularly turn into euphoric dance parties, with fierce Balkan funk acting as a universal language. You don’t need to understand the local Romany dialect – the music communicates instantly and directly.
Beyond the stage, Fanfare Ciocărlia have left a deep mark on popular culture. They have appeared in numerous films, recorded music for Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat movies, and delivered radical Gypsy reinterpretations of songs such as Born To Be Wild, Just The Two Of Us, the James Bond Theme or Duke Ellington’s Caravan. Whatever music they get their horns on, they transform it effortlessly.
The band have released twelve albums, many of which topped the European World Music charts. Their long list of accolades includes BBC Radio 3 Awards, Songlines Music Awards and multiple German Record Critics’ Awards. Their latest album, The Devil Rides Again, reached number one on major world music charts in 2025.
Fanfare Ciocărlia are not a nostalgic folk curiosity or a museum piece. They are living proof that tradition can be loud, fast, contemporary and utterly irresistible. At Pohoda, they will bring music that is not meant to be listened to quietly – but felt with the whole body.
The 30th edition of Pohoda will feature performances by Gorillaz, The Prodigy, Lykke Li, IDLES, Danzel Curry, Oliver Tree, Baxter Dury, Apashe & Brass Orchestra, SOFT PLAY, Emilíana Torrini, Aldous Harding, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Penguin Cafe, Annie & The Caldwells, Emma-Jean Thackray, Native James, Para, Gleb, Turtle Island, Fat Dog, KOIKOI, and many more.
For the first time this year, Pohoda will also include an Extra Day on Wednesday, 8th July 2026, with legendary The Cure, Scottish band The Twilight Sad, Ireland’s Just Mustard, and Denis Bango performing. Bango will perform songs from his project Fvck_Kvlt and the band Wilderness on the piano, just before The Cure’s performance. The Extra Day will also feature a late-night afterparty at Trenčín Airport. You can purchase a 4-day ticket (festival + The Cure), a 3-day ticket (Thursday to Saturday), or extend your 3-day ticket with the Extra Day. Find all the details and tickets here.